


It's Not About The Journey, But Who You Make It With

by TinkerBella



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-20 20:12:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9511364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinkerBella/pseuds/TinkerBella
Summary: So this is whump.  Lots of whump.  Surprisingly it's Mac and Jack whump and their unexpected Journey.  Enjoy





	

Jack was feeling pretty good right now. He and MacGyver had infiltrated the estate of a megalomaniac billionaire and confiscated the micro chip that he'd bought at a black auction, which contained top secret United States government documents. Now they were on their way to the airstrip where a plane was waiting for them. They were home free.

 

"You spoke too soon, Jack," Mac commented.

 

"Oh...I said that last part out loud?" Jack mused, even as he peered in the rear view mirror and realized two cars were speeding towards them in hot pursuit. "Crap!" Pressing the gas pedal to the floor, Jack glanced over at MacGyver. "Hope you've got a few tricks up your sleeves. Pulling them out now would be a good thing. Hint - hint." He figured this was not the time to be subtle.

 

MacGyver was already opening the glove compartment to see what he could find, but he paused when Jack cursed. Glancing up he saw why. One of the cars chasing them had passed them and, as Mac watched, the car cut them off and Jack was forced to hit the brakes. All MacGyver could do was hold on as his friend fought the wheel and managed to bring them into a turn so that they missed hitting the car and were now facing back the way they'd come.

 

Jack was ready to speed out of there until, out of now where, headlights came barreling towards them and panic washed over Jack when he realized that it wasn't a car heading straight for them, it was a semi. With nowhere to go but forward, Jack punched the gas pedal to the floor and was more than ready to crash into the other car that was trying to block their way. But even as he said a little prayer, he felt the impact of the semi cab hitting the rear end of the car on the passenger side and they were shoved towards the guard rail. 

 

Knowing they were going to hit the guard rail and go over the embankment Jack, instinctively, threw his arm out in front of MacGyver as they made impact. 

 

MacGyver braced for the crash as best he could, expecting the airbags to deploy as they hit the guardrail. Nothing happened, although he felt Jack's arm band across his chest as the car began a sliding decline down the steep embankment. They hurtled downward, gaining speed until they hit a bump and the next thing Mac knew they were shifting and flipping over and over until they stopped hard and everything went black.

 

The first thing Jack noticed was that they had finally stopped moving. The second thing he noticed was that they had managed to land upright, which was a plus. Not a plus? His side of the car was jammed up against a tree. On the one hand, it appeared to be the reason they had stopped rolling, but at the same time he wasn't getting out that way.

 

Turning to his right, Jack's heart sank as he saw that MacGyver wasn't moving. Shifting in his seat to reach out to his friend, Jack cried out in pain as the movement twisted his right knee. Reaching down, Jack could feel how the underside of the dash had popped out, trapping his leg. Grimacing, he undid his seat belt so he could turn to Mac. They had to get out of this car. For all they knew, the bad guys could be on their way to make certain they were dead. Truthfully, Jack was rather surprised they had survived the crash. Surprised, but grateful, especially since the airbags were an epic fail. He was going to have to remember to mention that fact to the rental company.

 

"Mac...hey, Mac?" Jack gripped the kid's arm and shook him, gently. No response. Holding his breath as a sudden panic washed over him, Jack pressed to fingers to MacGyver's neck and nearly choked on his relief. "Come on, kiddo. Wakey wakey time!"

 

"Hmmm..." Mac felt himself being nudged and a familiar voice calling his name. His head ached fiercely and it took a monumental effort to open his eyes, but once he blinked away the fuzziness, MacGyver remembered where they were. "Jack..." He turned to see his friend smiling at him.

 

Another wave of relief, that MacGyver was awake and mostly aware, washed over Jack. "There you are. Hope you got in a power nap, bud, because I need you to use your brain power to figure out a way to get me out of here. My leg is pinned under the dash."

 

MacGyver tried to move to take a look but was brought up short by his seat belt. He fumbled it open then leaned down, wincing as the movement pulled on his ribs, to run a hand over the underside of the dash where it met with Jack's knee. Needing to take a closer look, MacGyver searched for the flashlight he had seen in the glove box. Amazingly, despite the door being open during their rough and tumble ride down the embankment, it was still inside. "I need a closer look," he stated, pushing his car door open so he could step out then pretty much lay on the floor so he could see what he was working with.

 

Jack watched as Mac fought to get his door open, realizing that it must have smashed in a bit when they were rolling. He didn't miss the way the kid was favoring his left side, but that didn't slow MacGyver down. Within a minute the kid had done his MacGyver thing and Jack was free. 

 

"I smell gas," Mac announced, as he helped Jack make his way over the center console, upper body first and facing backwards so he could scoot out. "You need to hurry," he beseeched, hooking his arms under Jack's and pretty much hauling the other man out by brute force. He got Jack steadied on his feet then urged him to move. When it turned out Jack couldn't put any weight on his right leg, MacGyver slung Jack's left arm over his shoulder and half dragged, half carried, him about twenty feet away before the car exploded.

 

"That was close," Jack commented, after brushing off some car debris and carefully sitting up to survey the burning wreckage. He looked over to see that MacGyver was lying still beside him and fear washed over him. "Mac!"

 

Lifting one hand, to signal that he was still alive, MacGyver slowly turned over and slowly sat up. The simple motion made his head throb and he fought down a wave of nausea. "You okay, Jack?" he queried.

 

Jack chuckled, reaching over to clap MacGyver on the leg. "I'm alive and breathing, so I can't complain." Reaching carefully into his pocket, Jack pulled out his phone and tried to make a call. "No service, dammit," he cursed.

 

"We have to get out from under all this foliage," MacGyver commented. He was not looking forward to hiking up to the road, especially since he knew it was going to be rough going for Jack, but they had to get to a place where they could call for a pickup. Jack needed medical assistance and they had to hand off the microchip. Mac would offer to make the trek alone, but he knew Jack would veto that idea, so he kept it to himself. For now.

 

"On the plus side, I doubt we have to worry about the bad guys anymore," Jack offered. "I'm betting they saw the explosion from the road and are long gone by now."

 

MacGyver certainly hoped so, he wasn't feeling up to dealing with them on top of their other issues. Moving up into a crouch, he reached out to tap Jack on the leg. "I need to look at your knee and it's probably going to hurt."

 

Jack shrugged. "It already hurts, so go for it." That said, he gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, preparing for the shockwave of pain he knew was coming. In Mac's favor, he was quick and efficient, so Jack didn't suffer long. He opened his eyes and exhaled in relief as he watched the kid strip off his jacket and his button up flannel, leaving him in a blue t-shirt. Jack frowned as he watched how stiffly MacGyver was moving and it was obvious he was hurting, but he didn't let that stop him as he used his button up to wrap around Jack's knee for support. Jack had to give it to Mac, though, his knee felt better for being wrapped. 

 

"Too tight?" MacGyver asked, as he started tying it off.

 

"Feels just right," Jack replied, frowning as he watched the kid stand up and sway a bit. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

 

MacGyver couldn't answer right away, he was too busy breathing through the sudden nausea. Once he got it under control he searched the nearby area for something he could use to make a crutch. On the plus side there was a full moon out in full force so he could actually see what he was looking for. "I'm good," he stated, when he realized Jack was still waiting for a reply.

 

Jack knew the kid was fibbing but he let it pass for now. He had no doubt but that MacGyver had a concussion, but there wasn't much either one of them could do about it at the moment. Jack also knew how tough the kid was, and that he would deal until they could get to a doctor. And Jack was definitely making MacGyver see a doctor. Not so surprisingly, the kid returned to his side with a thick tree branch that had a *Y* shape that would fit under his armpit. He frowned to himself as MacGyver took his leather jacket to cushion the*Y* piece. "You're going to need that jacket, bud," Jack protested.

 

"I'm going to be working up a sweat hauling your heavy butt up the hill," MacGyver countered. He finished wrapping the make-shift crutch with his jacket, then he reached down to haul Jack to his feet. The shift in position made his head spin and his stomach twist and MacGyver stumbled away a few steps where he hunched over and puked.

 

"Mac?" Jack called after him, even as he fought to steady himself on the uneven ground. MacGyver had dropped the crutch when he stumbled off. Wincing as he listened to Mac vomiting, Jack wished he could go over to his friend but the minute he tried to step on his bad leg it buckled out from under him and he hit the ground. The pain made him see double, even as he cursed his own clumsiness.

 

MacGyver had finally stopped wretching, for which he was unbelievably grateful, because it made his head throb and his ribs ache, which just made him all the more nauseous. But the vicious cycle finally ended and MacGyver pulled a pack of gum out of his back pocket and stuffed a piece in his mouth to help with the taste and the mint helped to settle his stomach a bit. He did not want a repeat anytime soon. 

 

Jack was relieved to see MacGyver heading back his way, but he grimaced when his friend stood over him and glared. "You okay?" Jack queried, hoping to distract him.

 

"I'm good." MacGyver bent down to retrieve the crutch then he moved to help Jack stand up again. This time he moved more slowly, not wanting to risk throwing up again. He got the crutch secured under the other man's arm, then MacGyver slung Jack's free arm over his shoulder even as he wrapped his arm around Jack's waist. "Ready?" he asked, knowing that this was going to suck for his friend.

 

"As ready as I'm ever gonna be," Jack replied, not wanting to take that first step, but knowing he had no choice. Between the crutch and MacGyver, he didn't have to put any weight on his bad leg, but the hopping steps he had to take jostled his knee and the pain made him grimace. They only made it about ten yards when he could feel the steepness of the incline increasing, and he knew that Mac was supporting the bulk of his weight. MacGyver would never complain, but being snugged up right against his friend, Jack could feel how the kid was trembling. Mac was hurting and Jack was making it worse. He had a hard decision to make. "I need to rest," Jack stated.

 

MacGyver stopped moving, but he stared at Jack in surprise. "Already? We just got started."

 

Jack nodded. "Just give me a minute, bud." He pointed to a nearby tree. "Prop me up against there, if you would." It took a moment to get him situated where he was supported by the tree, but once MacGyver pulled away from him, Jack could see how unsteady the kid was and it worried him. They were between a rock and a hard place. The only way he could make it to the road was with Mac's help, but helping him was going to make it worse on the kid. At the same time, Jack didn't feel comfortable sending MacGyver off on his own. He watched his partner move around the surrounding area, stumbling a bit only to stop and stare off, obviously distracted. MacGyver had a concussion and if he went off on his own he could end up lost, or pass out, or any number of unacceptable scenarios. 

 

Unaware of Jack's eyes upon him, MacGyver studied their surroundings. He was trying to calculate the easiest path up the embankment, but it was difficult to focus. He rubbed at his temples, wishing the steady pounding would ease up, just a little. Jack needed him and they needed to get to a place where they could call for help. They had to...they had something else they were supposed to be doing, he just wasn't sure what it was. Something to do with Bozer, maybe? No, that wasn't it. It had to do with their mission. The micro chip! Mac reached into his front pocket and he was relieved to find it was still there. They had to hand off the micro chip. Which meant getting to the road so they could call for pick up. It was time to get moving.

 

"Time to go, Jack," MacGyver announced, making his way back over to his friend. He was almost there when he felt dizziness wash over him and Mac stumbled and fell to one knee. Crap. He was never this unbalanced.

 

"Mac! You okay, buddy?" Jack saw MacGyver stumble start to fall, only to catch himself on one knee. He was seriously worried about the kid.

 

Wincing, Mac carefully stood up and made it the last few steps to his friend. "I'm okay, Jack. You ready for some climbing?"

 

Jack slung his arm over MacGyver's shoulder before nodding. This was seriously going to suck for them both, but the sooner they made it to the top, the sooner they could call for help. "Let's get this show on the road, kid." 

 

"Stop calling me kid," Mac complained, as he moved them both forward. He stopped talking right after because he needed to focus all of his attention on moving one foot in front of the other, all the while trying to calculate the easiest and most efficient route to get them topside. Sometimes he had to stop and prop Jack up against something while he cleared the way for them, moving branches, or brush and sometimes a few good sized rocks. Mac felt like they were making headway when the path before them started to blur. He didn't realize he was swaying until Jack called his name.

 

"Mac? Hey, you with me, buddy?" Jack found himself supporting the kid as MacGyver suddenly swayed, dangerously, nearly tipping over. "Mac...talk to me, bro."

 

It took closing his eyes and breathing through a bout of nausea, before MacGyver could answer. "I'm...okay." He carefully opened his eyes and things were still a bit blurry, but a few hard blinks took care of the problem. "We have to keep going." Mac knew he was running out of steam so he needed to bulldoze ahead and get them to the road. Jack needed medical attention and they had to hand off the micro chip.

 

Jack was ready, but he wanted Mac to take a short breather. The kid looked way too pale tinged with green. Concussions truly sucked. "Hang on, one second," he beseeched. "Let me check my phone. Maybe we're close enough to the top to get service." But when he pulled out his phone he was disappointed. Jack slid it back into his pocket and let Mac support him once more as they started moving. It was getting steeper and steeper, but Jack knew they could make it. Neither one of them ever quit.

 

They continued on for maybe another twenty minutes when Jack noticed that MacGyver seemed unfocused. He was stumbling a bit more and his movements were becoming sluggish. Jack knew he had to keep the kid focused and in motion, so it was time to start talking. "So, Mac...do you really think Thornton is a traitor? Because despite all the proof that she was a mole, I just find a hard time swallowing it."

 

"Thornton?" MacGyver echoed, only catching half of what Jack had said. He realized he needed to pay attention. 

 

"Do you think she really is a traitor?" Jack repeated, relaxing a bit as he could see the kid struggling to focus on what he was saying. He could almost hear the wheels turning in that big brain, which was a good sign. Give Mac something to ponder about and the kid would focus on it with laser intensity. 

 

MacGyver played back everything that had happened with Thornton and Nikki, just as he had been doing ever since their boss had been arrested. He couldn't deny the facts that had been presented, but at the same time Mac found it hard to accept as the complete truth. He hadn't wanted to share his beliefs, figuring he was probably just in denial, because both Thornton and Nikki had fooled him. "I don't know what to think, Jack," Mac confessed. "And she hasn't admitted her guilt. I wish...I just want to talk to her. I need to know what really happened."

 

Jack could not agree more. And he would have said as much if his good leg hadn't suddenly given out on him. He tipped over, taking Mac down with him. In fact he pretty much landed on top of the kid, which padded his fall a little, but didn't stop him from jostling his knee. Swallowing a scream, Jack made himself roll off of MacGyver. He had to catch his breath before he could even ask if the kid was all right.

 

Pain exploded throughout Mac's body. He wasn't sure what hurt more, his ribs or his head. The moment Jack moved off of him, MacGyver found himself crawling off to the side to empty his stomach once more. He wretched until he was pretty sure he had vomited his entire stomach, before he was finally able to sit back and try to breathe through the pain.

 

"Mac?" Jack was worried and cursing his inability to do anything to help the kid. He was relieved when the puking finally stopped, but he knew MacGyver had to be suffering. Jack had been there, done that with a concussion and it seriously was the worst. "You okay, kid?"

 

"I told you...stop calling me kid," MacGyver mumbled. He fished in his pocket for another piece of gum all the while wishing he had a water bottle handy. He'd put it on the list of things to have next time he was in a car crash.

 

Relief washed over Jack, if the kid was up to being sarcastic then he was doing better than expected. They did have a bit of a problem though. Jack could hear cars going by so he knew they were getting close to the road, but he wasn't going to be able to make it the rest of the way with only MacGyver's help. The muscles of his good leg were burning and walking was out of the picture at the moment. So, unless they were close enough to the road to get phone service, it was going to be up to Mac to go the rest of the way alone. 

 

Shifting so he could reach his phone, Jack sent up a little prayer that he could get service as he powered it on. Unfortunately he was disappointed, still no service. Seeing that MacGyver was watching him, Jack held up his phone. "Nada."

 

"You're not going to make it any further," Mac stated, slowly rising to his feet and exhaling carefully as he prayed to keep his balance. He felt a little shaky, but stable enough to continue. "I won't be gone long."

 

"Just...go slow and be careful," Jack beseeched his friend. He wanted to protest, but they both knew there was no other option. 

 

MacGyver managed a wobbly smile before turning towards the traffic noises to get his bearings. Now that he didn't have to climb while supporting Jack, he should be able to make better time by taking the straightest path to the road. "Careful is my middle name." He ignored Jack's chuckle and started climbing.

 

Jack watched him go, seeing that Mac was struggling a bit, so he offered what help he could. "I'll sing my best karaoke hits to keep you company," he called after him.

 

"Awesome," MacGyver called back, wincing at the echo of his own voice in his skull. But he couldn't deny that hearing Jack's voice made a welcome diversion as well as being a motivator to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Every few feet Mac left a sliver of silver gum foil to mark his way back once help arrived.

 

To MacGyver's surprise, he found himself humming along with Jack's singing, until he couldn't hardly hear him any longer. At which point he stumbled over a root and caught himself on hands and knees. He was exhausted, dizzy, nauseous, but he also realized that the sound of cars whizzing by was suddenly very loud. He lifted his head to see that he had reached the road and that he was only a few feet away from where they had crashed over the side.

 

Shifting to sit down, MacGyver pulled out his phone and turned it on, thrilled to see he had service. He wasted no time in calling the Phoenix Foundation and he was happy when Director Webber informed him that she would contact the local FBI to pick up the micro chip and have them send medical personal to take Jack to a private facility. 

 

Jack kept singing, getting progressively louder, until he started getting hoarse. He glanced at his watch and saw that over an hour had passed. With everything in him he prayed that MacGyver was okay and had made his way to the road. Jack figured it would be at least another hour or two before he could expect rescue to arrive. Turns out he was a bit off in his calculations and it was less than an hour later when three Agency rescue personnel called out for him. Jack shouted as best he could and he was relieved to find himself strapped in a litter and drifting on a cloud of morphine.

 

The trip to the top was surprisingly quick although, to be honest, Jack was pretty certain he dozed through most of it so it could have taken anywhere from ten minutes to an hour. He was thrilled to see MacGyver standing beside the ambulance after the rescue workers deposited him on a stretcher and wheeled him over to the waiting vehicle.

 

"Hey, Mac..." he offered in greeting. "Long time no see, bro." 

 

"Jack!" MacGyver was thrilled to see his friend. "How are you doing?" 

 

Jack patted his leg. "Feeling no pain at the moment."

 

MacGyver grinned at him. "That's because it's the other leg that was injured."

 

"Really?" Jack peered down his body and, sure enough, it was the other leg he'd hurt. "Did I ever mention to you that I really like Morphine?" he asked.

 

"You might have mentioned it, once or twice," Mac allowed. 

 

Jack nodded, then reached out to grip the front of MacGyver's shirt and pull him down so he could whisper to him, "Did you hand off the...you know what?" Because it was all about priorities and the first priority was completing the mission. 

 

MacGyver didn't not back, because the motion would have made his head hurt worse, but he did reassure his friend. "Yes, Jack, I handed over the microchip. It's probably already in the air and on it's way to the FBI lab in DC. All you need to worry about now is you."

 

One of the EMT's motioned Mac out of the way so they could load Jack into the ambulance. "We'll be at the medical facility in twenty minutes. Are you riding with us?" he asked MacGyver.

 

"He is," Jack interjected, before Mac could respond. He just remembered his next priority, making sure his partner was okay. "You need to check him over, he has a concussion and I think he hurt his ribs too."

 

"I'm fine, Jack, you worry about yourself," MacGyver protested, only to find one of the EMT's in his face with a penlight. He slapped at it even as he closed his eyes, because the brightness hurt his head and brought with it a wave of nausea.

 

The EMT looked concerned. "Sir...are you all right?"

 

MacGyver couldn't respond, he was too busy trying not to puke. Breathing through the nausea wasn't working so well, however. 

 

"Call him MacGyver," Jack interjected, helpfully. "He doesn't like being called Sir. And, no...he's not all right. I told you he has a concussion. He's been dizzy and nauseous, unbalanced at times." Jack had noticed every detail of what Mac had suffered through.

 

"Did he throw up at any time?" The EMT asked.

 

Jack nodded. "At least twice." He was staring at MacGyver who had been leaning in the doorway of the ambulance, only to see him stumble out of sight before hearing the sound of wretching. Jack winced in sympathy before stating, "Make that three times."

 

The EMT turned to his partner. "Call for the other ambulance to come over," he ordered, even as he moved to MacGyver's side. Just in time to catch an armful of young agent as Mac's legs gave out. The EMT was a big guy and he easily lifted MacGyver into his arms and carried him over to meet the other ambulance.

 

They got him settled onto the stretcher and went to work, taking vitals before hooking Mac up to an IV of saline solution to get him hydrated. 

 

"What's going on?" Jack shouted from his own stretcher, because he had seen the big EMT carry Mac off to the other ambulance. "Mac? Are you okay?" He was about to get up and check for himself when another EMT popped in to stop him. "How is MacGyver?" Jack demanded.

 

"He's dehydrated and you were right about his concussion, but he's stable," the EMT replied, as he closed the door behind him. "We're taking you both to the medical facility so enjoy the ride."

 

Since there wasn't much else he could do at the moment, Jack settled down and waited out the ride. He and Mac were wheeled into the facility side by side, but the kid looked to be unconscious. "Mac? Hey, Mac!"

 

The EMT pushing MacGyver's stretcher looked over at Jack. "He out but he's going to be okay." At that point he wheeled Mac into an exam room as Jack was pushed into the one beside it.

 

Jack wasn't happy to be separated from Mac, but he knew they were both in good hands so he did his best to be patient. Somewhere between being poke and prodded, which hurt like a bitch, and multiple X-rays,. Jack somehow managed to fall asleep. When he woke up he was in a hospital room and he wasn't alone. In the bed beside him was Mac.

 

Before Jack could do more than open his mouth, a nurse bustled in. "Your friend is still asleep, Mr. Dalton," she stated. "But he's going to be fine. How are you feeling?"

 

"Good question." Jack took a moment to shift his leg, wincing a bit but realizing he was still on painkillers, because the pain was subdued at the moment. Lifting the blanket he saw his knee was bandaged for support. "What's the bad news?"

 

"You twisted it pretty good, but it will heal without the need of surgery," the nurse replied. "You will be off your feet for a few weeks. The doctor will be in soon to give you both a detailed report.

 

Jack nodded. "Thanks." He looked back over at MacGyver. "You're sure the kid is okay?"

 

"He does have a concussion and some badly bruised ribs, so he'll be out of commission for a while as well," the nurse replied. 

 

"Why the IV?" Jack was worried that it meant something more serious. 

 

The nurse moved to Mac's beside to check said IV. "He's still a bit dehydrated and we're giving him an anti-emetic. He threw up again a few times during the night but it's finally seems to have run it's course."

 

Jack really didn't like the sound of that and he hated the fact that he'd slept through Mac's suffering. The kid had done all the heavy lifting in getting them rescued, and the least Jack could have done was help him through the rough times. "How long are we stuck here for?"

 

"The physical Therapist will be here after lunch to fit you for crutches and run you through the details of the therapy you need to follow," the nurse replied. "But if all goes well the doctor intends to release you tonight."

 

"And MacGyver?" Jack prompted.

 

The nurse smoothed the blankets that covered the kid, before turning to face Jack. "He'll be here for a couple of days."

 

Jack knew the routine for a concussion as serious as the one MacGyver had suffered. First they had to make sure he wasn't going to vomit any more and was fully rehydrated. Then came the part where he had to be able to keep food down, was steady on his feet and didn't suffer any dizziness. Headaches would be a part of his future for a couple of weeks, but if he took it easy he'd be okay. The up side was that he and Mac could spend their recovery time together. Jack wondered how Matty was going to handle them being out of the field for a few weeks.

 

Right on cue Jack's phone rang and he turned to the bed stand and snatched it up. He wasn't the least bit surprised to see the caller was one Director Webber. "Hey, boss," Jack offered in greeting.

 

"Hello, Jack," Matty replied. "How are you feeling?"

 

"I'm feeling good. You?" Jack winced at his response, but damn if the woman didn't make him nervous as a kid who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

 

Director Webber ignored the question. "I understand that you and MacGyver will be out off the books for a few weeks."

 

Jack sighed. "Yeah, so I've just been told. Sorry about that."

 

"It's not like you got hurt on purpose, Jack," Matty replied. "You got the job done and I'm glad you're both going to be all right. How is MacGyver doing?"

 

"Resting, but he's not going to be a happy camper," Jack stated. "I guess we'll be headed home in a few days."

 

There was a short pause before Matty replied, "My understanding is that you'll be released tonight, Jack. You can be back by morning."

 

Anger rippled through Jack and he fought to keep it out of his voice as he replied, "I'm not leaving MacGyver. I don't leave my partner behind. Ever!" If Matty Webber wanted a fight, she was sure as hell going to get one.

 

"I'll see you both in a few days then," Matty said, before abruptly hanging up.

 

"I will never understand that woman," Jack grumbled. He heard footsteps and looked up to see the doctor heading towards him. They shook hands, then the Doc explained everything in greater detail. Then the nurse brought lunch, the physical therapist came and went and Jack was able to take a shower. When he came out, moving slow with the new crutches, he was stunned to see that MacGyver was awake.

 

Awkwardly making his way to his friend's bedside, Jack smiled and patted the kid on the shoulder. "Good to see you awake, buddy."

 

MacGyver grimaced, unwilling to move much more than that. His head ached, his ribs ached, hell every bone and muscle in his body pretty much ached. But he was glad to see Jack up and about. "Good to be awake," he replied, quietly. "You heading back to LA?"

 

"In a few days," Jack replied. "I'm not going back without you."

 

"I'll be out of here tomorrow," MacGyver stated, sullenly. He had spoken with the doctor, had been warned he was not to get out of bed or remove his IV, and he had also been informed he was not allowed to sign himself out AMA. The latter part he figured was Jack's doing, but he could work around Jack. 

 

Jack chuckled, feeling relieved that Mac felt up to arguing. It meant he was heading back towards normal, although they both knew it was going to be a slow journey. "Maybe two days from now, if you behave yourself," Jack allowed. "Don't be in such a hurry to get out of here, when we both know you'll just fall on your face if you try to leave too soon."

 

MacGyver heaved a careful sigh, before closing his eyes and complaining, "I'm so bored!"

 

"I can sing to you," Jack offered.

 

"Why would you torture me?" Mac countered, teasing. "I thought we were friends?"

 

Jack somehow managed to push a nearby chair over near the bed and get himself settled in it without falling over. "I'm glad you're feeling better, kid."

 

MacGyver opened his eyes to scowl at Jack. "You really need to stop calling me that."

 

"Maybe I will, when it stops bugging you so much," Jack allowed. "Want me to scrounge up a few paperclips to keep you occupied? I'm sure they have them around here."

 

"Maybe later." MacGyver felt too tired and too fuzzy to focus on any one thing. He didn't like feeling sluggish, but at least he had stopped feeling nauseous. 

 

Which must have been a cue for the nurse to arrive with a dinner tray. She put it on the rolling table then shifted it over MacGyver's lap before pulling off the lid to reveal broth and toast.

 

The sight and smell of them made MacGyver grimace. "I'm not hungry," he whispered, trying to hold his breath.

 

"You have to try and eat something," the nurse replied, but she caught sight of his expression and pulled the table back and away. "At the very least you need to drink some Gatorade before we can remove your IV."

 

"Gatorade I can deal with," Mac replied, all the while hoping he wasn't telling a lie. Right now he had no interest in food or liquids. He just wanted to sleep for a while, wake up, then go home.

 

The nurse nodded. "I'll bring the Gatorade and see about upping your dosage of Anti-emetic. You know you have to be able to keep food down before you can be released?"

 

MacGyver did know and he would force himself to eat just to get out of this place, but later. But what he said was, "Sounds like a plan."

 

The nurse left them, taking the tray with her. 

 

Jack studied Mac as the kid fidgeted with the blankets. "Anything I can do to help?" 

 

"I'm okay, Jack," MacGyver replied, because he knew his friend was worried about him. "I'll eat something in a bit. This isn't my first concussion you know."

 

"I do know," Jack allowed. "But it's worse than the last one." The last one occurring within one month of his meeting the kid in Iraq. So it had been a few years. "Good thing you have a hard head."

 

MacGyver sighed. "Apparently not hard enough." He studied his friend. "I appreciate you staying with me, but you don't have too. I'm not good company right now."

 

Jack rolled his eyes. "You know I'm not going anywhere and I don't care if you sleep for the next two days straight through. Just rest and get better. It's not like I can do anything else but the same with this bum knee. Hell, you're gonna end up healing fast than I am. Although your ribs might take a bit longer. Doc told me he's surprised you didn't break any. He thinks you need fattening up, same as I do."

 

"I will suffocate you in your sleep if you don't lay off with the needing to fatten me up thing, Jack," MacGyver warned. 

 

"Love you too, kid." Jack chuckled but quickly grew serious. "Hey...I just want to make sure I thank you."

 

MacGyver was confused. "Thank me for what?"

 

Jack scrubbed a hand over his head, always feeling a bit out his element when it came to his emotions. "For hauling up that damn embankment. You were like the Terminator or something, you just didn't quit and I knew you were hurting as much as I was so...thanks."

 

"You'd do the same for me," Mac shot back, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the emotional content as well. "It's what we do."

 

"Copy that," Jack replied, reaching into his pocket for his phone. "I downloaded one of those books you were yammering at me to read. Want me to play it? It'll help pass the time."

 

MacGyver could go for that. "Which book?" 

 

Jack had to bring it up to remember. "The Hobbit." He hadn't seen the movies that went along with it, but Mac and Bozer were always going on about the books and Bozer got excited talking about all the cinematic stuff.

 

"Play it," Mac beseeched. He loved the book.

 

So Jack started it up and settled in, surprised to soon find himself lost in the story. Over an hour passed before he realized MacGyver had fallen asleep and Jack let him be as he made his way to the other bed and got comfortable. He let it play on lulling him to sleep as well. 

 

They would be home soon enough to continue the ongoing adventures of Mac and Jack.

 

THE END


End file.
